oh, Canada

I don't normally think of myself as a big fan of Canada, but after attending a few Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festivals, I realized that many of the entries I enjoyed were produced by our neighbors to the north. It dawned on me that a country that actually pays its artists can't be all that bad. And, of course, I had an awesome time visiting my sister in Montreal when I was still in high school. I still have the hat the landed mysteriously on my lap at a frat party - it says "this bud's for you" but the Budweiser logo is replaced by a pot leaf. And my favorite veterinarian, Dr. Marty, is Canadian. In fact, sadly he's returned to his homeland, though he reports that the natives don't like that he acts "too American" whatever that means... And it was at the Canadian border that my dad's "border voice" was born. How fun would life be without Dad's border voice? Of course I hope he'll be more cautious in the future, now that the taser has become so popular...

But I believe that perhaps my favorite product of Canada is Kenny vs. Spenny, a show about two best friends who compete against each other in absurd challenges, the winner getting to humiliate the loser. I stumbled across them on cable a few years back but it seemed their fame was short lived. Now they are back with a vengeance thanks to the boys of South Park (their new executive producers). I just finished watching a few of their most recent episodes and found myself alternating between laughter and nausea. Now that's good television. I can't decide if "Who can eat the most meat?" was the most disgusting, or if "Who can drink the most beer?" was worse, thanks to the surprise twist at the end... And don't even get me started on "First guy to get a boner loses"...

Anyway, this week I will be traveling a little closer to Canada than I'd like. I leave Wednesday morning to visit the folks in Washington. Of course this means I am not at all packed. As if I can pack for that kind of cold, anyway. I only have California clothes. In fact, I'm realizing as I go through my faded, stained, and torn wardrobe, I don't even have California clothes. I have sloth clothes - totally inappropriate outside the privacy of one's own home. Sigh.

It seems I will have to buy warm clothes soon enough, though. I am freaking out (just a little) cuz I see (on my on line law school forums) that the gal who is practically my "number twin" (same LSAT, similar GPA) just got into Harvard. This time next year that could actually be me. Yikes.

For now, though, I must return to the task at hand. Assembling belongings and preparing the kitties for abandonment.